


Memories Carved in Wood

by OhanaHoku



Series: Whumptober 2020 Prompts [19]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Adorable Merlin (Merlin), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Grief, Grief/Mourning, Hurt Gaius (Merlin), Hurt Geoffrey of Monmouth (Merlin), Memories, Mentions of Burning at the Stake, October Prompt Challenge, One Shot, One Shot Collection, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, Sad Gaius (Merlin), Sad Geoffrey of Monmouth (Merlin), Sad Merlin (Merlin), Sad and Sweet, Short One Shot, Survivor Guilt, Tumblr Prompt, Whump, Whumptober, Whumptober 2020, mourning a loved one, no.19
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:42:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27202630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhanaHoku/pseuds/OhanaHoku
Summary: On the anniversary of his cousin's death, Gaius mourns her loss with Geoffrey.Day Nineteen of Whumptober 2020 - Broken Hearts - Grief, Mourning a Loved One, Survivor's Guilt
Relationships: Gaius & Geoffrey of Monmouth (Merlin), Gaius & Merlin (Merlin)
Series: Whumptober 2020 Prompts [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949965
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	Memories Carved in Wood

**Author's Note:**

> I felt like giving Gaius some attention for Whumptober. <3
> 
> Triggers in tags. This is set in Season One.

“I’ll be going out today, Merlin,” Gaius said as he broke his fast with the boy one morning.

The servant yawned, leaning onto his hand as he stirred the porridge in his bowl. “Where you going?” He asked, eyes still sleepy and his hair sticking out in a wild bedhead.

“I’ll be having lunch with a friend.” The physician said, taking a bite of his own porridge.

The boy blinked before grinning. “Gaius, I didn’t know you were seeing someone.” He said, looking more awake now as his eyes glittered mischievously. “Who is it? The seamstress, Valora? I knew you had a thing for her!” He exclaimed.

“Merlin!” Gaius scolded, blushing faintly. “I am not seeing anyone in such a manner!” Gaius told him before continuing in a quieter voice. “I’m having lunch with Geoffrey. Today is the anniversary of his wife’s death.”

Merlin’s face immediately fell, his eyes taking on a sad look. “Oh, I’m sorry.” He said quietly. “How long has it been for him?”

The old man sighed, setting down his spoon. The porridge tasted rather bland that morning anyway. “Twenty years.” He murmured.

Merlin’s eyes widened. “You mean…?”

Gaius nodded. “The Great Purge, yes. Geoffrey’s wife was a sorceress. A teacher of magic, actually. When Uther’s heart turned against magic, she was accused of tainting the children’s minds with thoughts against the king.”

“That’s awful,” Merlin whispered, his face twisted in horror and a wounded look in his young eyes.

“It was.” Gaius agreed. “Uther cleared the castle of magic before attacking the kingdom, so she was one of the first he executed.” He shook his head sadly. “I pleaded with her to give magic up as I had, but she refused.”

Merlin was quiet for a moment before asking, “How did she die?”

A faraway look came into Gaius’ eyes as he stared into the distance. “Burned at the pyre.”

**\/**\/*\/**\/**

“Thank you for doing this with me, my friend,” Geoffrey said, loudly exhaling as he moved to sit on a stump. “I fear next year I may not be able to make this trip.” He said, out of breath from their trip through the forest.

“You and me both.” Gaius chuckled, helping his friend take off the satchel he was wearing, setting it in the genealogist’s lap.

The man thanked him and pulled out a modest bouquet of pink sorrel and speedwell, holding it in his hands as he addressed the black alder tree in front of him. “Hello, my love. It has been a while since our last visit, I know.” The man said with a sad smile. “I’m afraid my body is getting too old to make the journey to your side. But I promise, even if I cannot make it here to your side, I will always keep you in my heart.”

He lifted the bouquet in gesture. “I brought you your favorite flowers.” He said, handing them to Gaius, who laid them down in front of the tree before taking a seat on a stump next to Geoffrey.

Gaius chuckled, looking up at the tree. “I still remember the day the two of you carved your names into this tree.” He said, looking up at the mark that Winifred had seared into the tree with her magic, claiming it would last until the tree itself died. “The two of you laughing as if you were children.”

The man smiled. “That is one of my most cherished memories.” He said, quietly laughing. “Of the ones I still remember. Winifred was always so happy, so full of life.”

Gaius hummed. “My cousin was the happiest she’d ever been when she was with you.” He told him, a sad look in his eyes. “I only wish her last few days could have been so happy.” He mused, guilt sitting coldly in his chest.

“So do I,” Geoffrey said, reaching over to place a hand on Gaius’ arm. “But do not let it weigh on your chest, my friend. We both did all we could for her. We simply didn’t have the time to save her like we did the others.”

The physician nodded. “I know that. Still, sometimes it’s hard to know that I’ve survived when they did not.” He said with a sigh. “But this is not the time for such gloomy thoughts. Today is a day for remembering the good memories.”

“Right you are, Gaius,” Geoffrey said, pulling out a bottle of wine from his satchel with two wooden cups. He held out the bottle, thrusting it slightly toward him. “If you would do the honors?”

Gaius laughed, lifting a hand. With a few whispered words, Gaius’ eyes glowed faintly, and the bottle’s cork popped out, the bottle floating through the air as it poured sweet wine into the cups.

Geoffrey grinned, raising his cup in a silent toast. “So, how long do you figure until that young nephew of yours realizes I know about his magic?”

Gaius chuckled. “With Merlin, one could never tell.” He told him, raising his own cup to knock gently against Geoffrey’s.

Both of them laughed and sipped their wine, the rest of the afternoon spent reminiscing about those they had lost and the stories they had left behind.

**Author's Note:**

> Word Count - 872. I know this doesn't comply with canon, exactly, but personally I love it. Also, I just realized I forgot to mention it in the fic, when Winifred was burned on the pyre, Gaius and Geoffrey took her ashes and spread them around the tree. <3 Let me know if you guys liked this one! :)
> 
> While I'm a bit busy with Whumptober at the moment, I sometimes post fic recommendations on [ my tumblr](https://ohanahoku-ao3.tumblr.com/) between updates, so go check that out!


End file.
